Declan Rice: England’s Battle with Expectation in Euro 2024

Declan Rice acknowledged that England have “placed excessive pressure on ourselves” following their draw with Denmark in Euro 2024’s group stage, despite being at the top of Group C. Criticism followed their performance, contrasting with their initial win against Serbia. Gareth Southgate’s team reached the Euro 2020 final, the closest England has come to ending a 58-year trophy drought. Rice, the Arsenal midfielder, emphasized the squad’s eagerness to make their country proud, though Southgate feels his players may “care too much” in their pursuit of European success.

“We’re all eager to win, to lead, and to create lifelong memories,” Rice commented. “Sometimes, I think we burden ourselves unnecessarily when we could simply go out and let things flow naturally. There’s room for improvement both in possession and without, which is a positive.” Despite recent tournament successes and standout seasons for players like Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka, England entered Germany as one of the favorites. However, their display against Denmark, where they failed to capitalize after Kane’s early goal, drew criticism, with former defender Rio Ferdinand describing it as “puzzling and worrisome.”

“I think external pressure has increased due to the outstanding seasons our players have had,” Declan Rice noted. “Our front four alone have scored over 100 goals this year. Expectations are high because they’re among the best players globally, and that applies to the entire team.” Southgate, who took over after England’s Euro 2016 disappointment against Iceland, highlighted the challenges of achieving unprecedented success. “We’re attempting something never done before, so it’s bound to be a rollercoaster,” he remarked. “The path won’t be smooth when you’re aiming for extraordinary feats. It’s incredibly tough.”

Despite the criticism following their first two outings, Southgate remains focused on guiding his players through the challenges ahead. “They genuinely enjoy working together,” he observed. “Right now, ironically, they care too much, and they need solid leadership during this phase. We must navigate through these tough times while staying focused on the task at hand.”